Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) National Infection Prevention and Control (NIPC), with support from the Pacific Community (SPC) successfully facilitated a five (5) days training on Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) for selected groups of health care workers at the National Referral Hospital (NRH), Honiara City Council and Guadalcanal Province since the 26th of September.
The training was organized into three sessions, with the first, covering basic principles of Infection, Prevention and Control required in vaccination clinics delivering COVID-19 vaccines and health facilities in general. The second session provided awareness on the role of IPC in the prevention of Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) around the country’s National Infection, Prevention and Control Guidelines that was developed in collaboration with the SPC and the Ministry of Health in 2021.
The final session involves the development of three (3) years national Infection Prevention and Control work plan by participants.
Ministry of Health and Medical Services National Infection Prevention and Control Coordinator Ms. Jane Saepioh explained that IPC is an essential component of health care quality and patient safety.
“Therefore, the training is crucial to achieving this through enhancing the capacity of our health workers to mitigate and prevent the spread of infectious diseases including Antimicrobial Resistance in health facility settings and when health care workers conduct outreach programs such as routine immunization and COVID-19 vaccination in communities.
“The third training session which involves development of a three-year national IPC plan, is to operationalize the IPC strategy that would enable the national IPC team to track progress towards the goals set”,
“The support rendered by SPC in this regard is truly appreciated and this is not the first. SPC has been supporting our department for many years working closely with our National IPC team, building capacity of our staff, providing learning opportunities and continue to provide support in review of the Surgical Site Infection (SSI) surveillance program and hand hygiene auditing program at the facility level”, explained Ms. Jane.
Meanwhile, Pacific Community, Infection Prevention and Control Adviser Margaret Leong highlighted that it is important that the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) standards are practiced by all healthcare workers wherever healthcare is delivered, example either in the hospital or community health clinics.
“Infection Prevention and Control measures are designed to prevent harm caused by healthcare associated infections to patients and health care workers”, explained Mrs. Leong.
She added IPC measures such as washing your hands regularly with soap and water, wearing a mask if you have a cough or runny nose can prevent infectious diseases from spreading in the community.
“It has been a pleasure for our team to be supporting the Ministry of Health in this regard and will continue to render our support where there is needs”, said Mrs. Leong.
SPC acknowledges the funding support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the European Union and the Australian Department of of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
-MHMS Press